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- Graiguecullen Church in construction in 1928.
The picture shows the building in progress from the playground of
the Girls' National School.
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Thompsons moved the Church
THE giant electric crane of Thompsons, Carlow, towers over the
almost completed St. Clare's Church, Graiguecullen in 1929.
Thompsons were the contractors who disassembled St. Anne's Church on
the Athy Road and rebuilt it as St. Clare's in its present site on
the Killeshin Road. The engineering feat is unique in Irish
Ecclesiastical History. It was undertaken as a result of the
acquisition for £1,500 of St. Anne's (a Bruen family built and
endowed Protestant church, which suffered after parochial
reorganisation), by the Catholic Graiguecullen-Killeshin Parish
which badly needed a new church. Thompsons bought the Scottish built
crane especially for the work. And, astonishingly the jib was still
in use at the Thompsons works until this year! Such was the
electricity demand of the crane during the Church rebuilding that
when working under load it drained Carlow town's electricity supply
— dimming the lights.
 St. Clare's did not aspire to a spire, a notable feature of St.
Anne's. The then Parish Priest, Very Rev. J. Fogarty, feared
steeping the Parish into further debt on this account despite an
assurance from Mr. Fred Thompson that the cost could be raised
later. Many feel it a pity the assurance was not acted upon since
the erection cost of the spire then would be negligible in terms of
present day costs and would have been the crowning glory of this
beautiful neo-Gothic church.
- (Previously published in 'The Nationalist, November 16,
1979)
Source: From the Nolan Newspaper cuttings provided by Mr. M Purcell.)
- St Clare's Church, Graiguecullen
- Rear view of St Clare's Catholic Church,
Graiguecullen. It was designed originally as a
Church of Ireland Church. It was commissioned by
the Bruen Family of Oak Park and built on the
Athy Road in 1852. However, the Church of
Ireland sold it to the Parish Priest of
Graiguecullen in 1929. It was re-erected on the
other side of the River Barrow, where it serves
as the Catholic parish Church, Graiguecullen
today.
Source: Carlow County Library
website |
Nationalist and Leinster
Times. Oct. 1929.
Dedication of St,
Clare's Church.
 The newly-erected
Catholic Church in Graiguecullen will be solemnly dedicated by Most
Rev. Dr. Cullen, Bishop of the Diocese, on Sunday next, 13th inst. A
special sermon will be delivered by, Rev. Fr. Hannon S.J. Rector of
Milltown Park.
Seats will be reserved
in the Sanctuary and transepts for all who wish to avail of them.
St. Clare's Church will accommodate eleven hundred people and it is
confidently expected that the congregation on Sunday will not be
less than this figure.
Source: Michael Purcell
- St Clare’s Pipe band
- Officers in charge of the St Clare’s Pipe
band pictured at a rehearsal recently: Mick Byrne, Chairman,
Thomas Lyons, Secretary; Ml Fennell, Joe Fitzpatrick and
Treasurer Paddy Byrne.
- Source: Alan McGrath Facebook
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